New
Teammate
Handbook
North Carolina teammates:
Click here
for Page One of your Handbook or consult
your New Orientation leader
South Carolina teammates:
Click here
for Page One of your Handbook or consult
Congratulations! Welcome to Carolinas HealthCare System.
You have joined an exciting and dynamic team.
We know our people are our greatest resource. Each teammate at Carolinas HealthCare System is vital to meeting our objective of providing excellence in care to our patients and our communities.
This Teammate Handbook is provided as part of the New Teammate Onboarding program. The handbook provides an overview of some of the key policies you will need to know as a Carolinas HealthCare System teammate. A print copy of this handbook can be made available to you during New Teammate Orientation, and the information is also available to you at any time on the New Teammate Online Portal:
CarolinasHealthCare.org/newteammateportal.
We encourage you to read this material carefully. Prior to completion of your New
Teammate Orientation, you will be required to sign an acknowledgement form indicating a copy of this handbook has been made available to you.
If you have any questions, please feel free to discuss them with your talent acquisition consultant or New Teammate Orientation leader. You may also contact your hiring manager or Workforce Relations.
All team members are subject to the policies and procedures adopted by Carolinas HealthCare System. The following is a summary of current key policies and procedures. Complete copies are
Human Resources Policies
Human Resources maintains an online policy and procedure manual on PeopleConnect. This and other policy manuals for Carolinas HealthCare System can be accessed by going to the Policies tab at the top of PeopleConnect.
Human Resources policies online are divided into four categories: • Career
• Compensation
• Teammate Health and Wellness • Work/Life
Some policies are referenced within the Teammate Handbook, and links are provided to assist you with a more detailed review of policies as needed. Should you have questions about any of the HR policies covered in this handbook or the online policies, please contact your Workforce Relations representative.
Equal Employment Opportunity
Carolinas HealthCare System is an equal opportunity employer and as such, all
employment decisions are, and will be, made without regard to race, color, age, religion, gender, national origin, Vietnam-era, special disabled veteran, other covered veteran, disability, genetic information, or on any other basis prohibited by law. All management and leadership teams have a continuing responsibility to fully comply with Carolinas HealthCare System’s equal employment opportunity policy and to implement this policy within their respective areas of responsibility.
If, as a team member, you believe there has been a denial of equal opportunity in the workplace, you have the responsibility to immediately notify your department or facility leader. If you are uncomfortable speaking with your department or facility leader, you may contact a Workforce Relations representative. For more details, refer to HR 1.01 – Equal Employment Opportunity.
Americans with Disabilities Act
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability and protects qualified individuals with a disability from discrimination in all employment practices, including job application procedures, hiring, advancement, job assignments, leaves of absence, transfers, layoffs, demotions, discipline, discharge, compensation and job training. To be protected under the ADA, the Act requires that an individual must be able to perform the “essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation.” See HR 4.02 – Disabilities: Team Members and Persons Applying for Jobs.
Accommodations for the Disabled
Carolinas HealthCare System wants to hire and keep the best teammates in the healthcare industry. The best qualified person for a job may be someone with one or more disabilities. Carolinas HealthCare System encourages persons with disabilities to join and stay in our workforce, whether or not the disability needs a reasonable accommodation. See HR 4.02 – Disabilities: Team Members and Persons Applying for Jobs.
Prohibited Harassment and Discrimination
Carolinas HealthCare System is committed to providing a professional working environment for all of its team members. In keeping with this commitment, harassment and discrimination on the basis of race, color, age, religion, gender, national origin, Vietnam-era, special
disabled veteran, other covered veteran, disability, genetic information, or on any other basis prohibited by law will not be tolerated.
Forbidden conduct includes unwelcome physical or verbal behavior of an offensive nature, creating an intimidating or hostile work environment, and/or granting or denying employment benefits based upon exchange of sexual favors or other unlawful basis. These behaviors are forbidden for co-workers, leaders, and others who have contact with our teammates. For further definitions and examples, see HR 5.07 – Protection from Discrimination, Harassment and Retaliation.
If you believe you have been harassed or discriminated against in violation of this policy, or if you observe or have knowledge of such behavior, you have a duty to immediately bring such matters to the attention of your unit or department leader, or your Workforce Relations representative, or the vice president responsible for your business unit.
As a teammate, you also have a responsibility to cooperate in the investigation of any complaints of harassment or discrimination. All complaints and reports will be investigated promptly. Due to the sensitive nature of harassment charges, investigations will be as confidential as possible. Retaliation for submission of a complaint or any action that discourages complaints or reports is prohibited. Likewise, there will be no retaliation against anyone who participates in a complaint or an investigation.
Carolinas HealthCare System will not tolerate unlawful harassment, discrimination or
retaliation. Persons engaging in such prohibited activities are subject to disciplinary action up to, and including, end of employment.
Employment
Verification of Eligibility
The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 (IRCA) requires all employers to verify every job applicant is either a United States (U.S.) citizen or is authorized to be
employed in the U.S. You must present original documents evidencing your identity and employment authorization to Teammate Health prior to beginning work for Carolinas HealthCare System.
Employment of Authorized Immigrants
Carolinas HealthCare System does not discriminate by hiring, recruiting, referring or discharging team members on the basis of their national origin, citizenship or intention to obtain citizenship. Potential teammmates who are not citizens of the U.S. must have appropriate visas and work permits.
Employment of Minors
No one under the age of 16 will be employed by Carolinas HealthCare System in any capacity. A work permit is required for individuals ages 16 to 18.
Employment of Relatives
Carolinas HealthCare System wants to employ teammates who make meaningful
contributions to our mission. Nonetheless, Carolinas HealthCare System does not employ, promote or transfer individuals into positions whereby an immediate family member or someone living under the same roof would have direct or indirect decision-making authority over the teammate (i.e., within the same chain of command even if several layers
removed). These decision-making influences include, but are not limited to, job progression, discipline, salary increases and performance reviews.
It is your responsibility to bring to the attention of your leader, a direct or indirect reporting relationship that might exist or arise during the course of employment. Time will be allowed to resolve the conflict with transfer within Carolinas HealthCare System being the preferred method of resolution. See HR 1.08 – Employment of Relatives.
Orientation Period
The first 90 days you are employed by Carolinas HealthCare System is considered an orientation or introductory period. This gives you an opportunity to determine if you like working at Carolinas HealthCare System. It also gives Carolinas HealthCare System a chance to determine if your skills, cooperation and attendance fit Carolinas HealthCare System standards for your position. You are encouraged to communicate any
concerns/problems you may have identified during your orientation period with your leader — in the hope that an early resolution may be found. See HR 5.04 – 90 Day Orientation Period.
Identification Badges
To communicate to others your identity and department, you must wear a photo ID badge on your clothing, above the waist, at all times when working.
You will receive your badge at New Teammate Orientation. This badge provides access to certain gate-controlled parking and pre-authorized facilities throughout Carolinas HealthCare System in addition to payroll deduction for cafeteria and gift shop purchases at some
locations. Your badge is programmed according to your work location and needs. Should you find that your access is not sufficient to perform your duties, additional access can be formally requested by your management team via OSR to Carolinas HealthCare System Badging Administration. You should not attach anything to the badge. Because of the construction of the badge, pins, stickers or other attachments may prevent it from working properly. The only exception is items from Carolinas HealthCare System charitable
campaigns (Children’s Miracle Network, United Way or Arts and Science Council), recognition programs such as Values in Action or Teammate Health stickers. See ADM 270.06 – Photo Identification Badges.
Replacement of Lost ID Badges
All lost badges must be reported to the Access Control office immediately. Please call 704- 355-6266 to report lost or stolen ID badges. Lost badges will be replaced free of charge for the first occurrence. Thereafter, the cost will be $10 for replacement.
Personnel Records
Carolinas HealthCare System maintains pertinent information on every team member. Your personnel file is a confidential, cumulative account of employment information and history. Personnel files are located in Human Resources. For more information, see HR 5.06 – Personnel Records.
Confidentiality of Information
The nature of your work may require you to have access to confidential information. You are obligated to keep Carolinas HealthCare System information confidential, even after your employment ends. While employed, release or use of patient or team member confidential information is cause for disciplinary action up to, and including, end of employment.
Patient Information
As a condition of employment at Carolinas HealthCare System, information regarding our patients must be kept confidential. You should not discuss patient presence, care or treatment with team members, physicians or others who are not a part of the patient’s Carolinas HealthCare System care team without explicit authorization from the patient or their representative. Any discussions amongst the patient’s Carolinas HealthCare System care team must be held under appropriate conditions as to not inappropriately disclose the patient’s information.
Should news or other media representatives request information, Carolinas HealthCare System provides 24 hour assistance. During normal working hours, questions should be directed to the Corporate Communications, Marketing & Outreach department. At night, on weekends and holidays, requests should be directed to either the nursing office or the administrator on call.
For more information, see HIPPA Privacy & Security Sanctions and the Privacy Policy page.
Teammate Information
Teammate information of a personal or potentially sensitive nature (e.g. salary, discipline, etc.) that is gained within Carolinas HealthCare System is also confidential and may not be divulged to anyone other than those authorized to receive such information. See HR 5.06 – Personnel Records.
Carolinas HealthCare System Information
Ownership of Inventions
Any invention or discovery, or part thereof, that results from research or other activities carried out by Carolinas HealthCare System or any of its facilities, or that is developed with the aid, use or benefit of Carolinas HealthCare System facilities, staff, funds or other
resources is the property of Carolinas HealthCare System. Individuals who claim that an invention or discovery is, or has been, made on personal time and is not job-related have the responsibility to demonstrate the absence of use or benefit of Carolinas HealthCare System resources.
You should immediately notify your administrative officer of any invention or discovery that is or has been conceived, discovered, developed or made at any time while you are a
Carolinas HealthCare System team member. This duty to notify includes any invention or discovery made entirely on your personal time and not involving the use or benefit of any Carolinas HealthCare System resources.
Intellectual Property Rights
Any information developed or compiled by a teammate within the Carolinas HealthCare System communications environment (e.g., hardware, network, software, including such things as writings, spreadsheets, graphs, databases) regardless of form and any invention, discovery, development, modification, system, program or design by the user, shall be the exclusive property of Carolinas HealthCare System. See ADM 260.01 – Ownership and Commercialization of Intellectual Property.
Standards of Excellence
Our Standards set the tone for the culture we have chosen to create at Carolinas
HealthCare System. We expect excellent patient care and customer service and strive for high levels of patient, teammate and physician satisfaction. These standards are not intended to be all-inclusive, but serve as expectations of customer service at Carolinas HealthCare System.
Personal Conduct
Acceptable Use Policy
Carolinas HealthCare System issues communication devices (such as personal computers, pagers and cell phones) to teammates whose duties or work location makes such devices necessary for effective operations. Personal electronic communication devices should either be turned off or operated in silent mode and should not be answered while performing
purposes. All information passing through Carolinas HealthCare System
communication systems becomes Carolinas HealthCare System property and can be monitored to ensure appropriate use.
You are responsible for the content of all communications you generate, disseminate or solicit and should ensure that the content does not violate Carolinas HealthCare
System policies. The use of discriminatory, hostile, suggestive, or otherwise inappropriate material or language is strictly prohibited. Examples of prohibited activities include:
Downloading or viewing pornography or obscene material of any sort
Wasteful acts such as sending non-business related mass distribution emails or chain letters and spending excessive amounts of time on the Internet
Downloading any games or non-business applications Participating in Internet chat rooms, newsgroups, etc. Seeking external employment opportunities
Abuse/misuse will result in disciplinary action up to, and including, end of employment. Use of electronic devices such as camera phones, digital cameras or audio or video
recorders to transmit or record images or conversations without the explicit permission and acknowledgment of all parties is prohibited.
These guidelines are intended to help you understand your responsibilities in relation to communications equipment. For more information, review the Acceptable Use Policy.
Social Media Policy
Teammates may use social media during work hours, so long as such use does not
interfere with the teammate’s work or the work of others. In addition, teammates should not access social media while in public or patient treatment areas. Team members who access social media using Carolinas HealthCare System equipment or facilities must follow the guidelines of the Acceptable Use Policy.
Corporate Communications, Marketing & Outreach is responsible for making all official comments on behalf of Carolinas HealthCare System. Team members are not to post anything on the Internet in the name of Carolinas HealthCare System or in a manner that
Corporate Compliance
Carolinas HealthCare System has always been committed to the highest standards of business conduct and compliance with applicable laws and regulations. This commitment reflects our belief that the best way for Carolinas HealthCare System to fulfill its mission and serve its patients is for us as teammates and representatives to be honest, ethical and fair in all business practices and personal behavior. Should you become aware of any violations of the corporate code of conduct, policies and procedures, or any laws and regulations, you are encouraged to call the anonymous, toll-free Compliance HelpLine at 1-888-540-7247 to report your concerns. You should also review the following information on the Compliance and Policies pages of PeopleConnect:
System of Integrity - Code of Business Conduct
HIPAA Privacy Practices
COR 40.12 Handling Reports of Suspected Compliance Violations
Billing and Coding Integrity
Carolinas HealthCare System bills only for care and services that it provides which are properly authorized and documented as medically necessary. We expect all teammates to understand the importance of billing and coding that is accurate, timely and compliant with Carolinas
HealthCare System policies and federal and state laws and regulations. If you work in a billing or coding-related area/job function, you are expected to understand and comply with all billing and coding policies and procedures established by Carolinas HealthCare System and by third-party payers (including Medicare and Medicaid). It is our policy to refund any overpayments made as a result of billing errors. For more information, see the Billing and Coding Integrity section of System of Integrity - Code of Business Conduct.
Conflicts of Interest
A conflict of interest occurs when an individual, including his or her immediate family, enters into any type of relationship or activity that interferes with or compromises, or gives the appearance of compromising, the professional judgment or obligations of the individual or institution. You are prohibited from engaging in activities that constitute a conflict of interest with your employment duties. You may not acquire any direct or indirect interest in any healthcare facility or healthcare venture without the express consent of Carolinas HealthCare System. You are prohibited from having a direct or indirect interest in any company that supplies goods or services to Carolinas HealthCare System without the express consent of Carolinas HealthCare System. If you think you have an actual or potential conflict of interest, you are required to discuss the issue with your immediate leader so the matter can be resolved. For more information, go to COR 40.17 – Conflicts of Interest.
Gifts and Favors
You may not, through acceptance of gifts or favors, place yourself in a position to be improperly influenced in the performance of your job duties. For more information, see System of Integrity - Code of Business Conduct and COR 40.17 – Conflicts of Interest.
Holidays
Carolinas HealthCare System observes the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Good
Friday, Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day.
As a healthcare organization, we must balance the needs of the community with the needs of our teammates. As a result, facility Administration decides whether a department
remains open or closed for these holidays. See HR 2.10 – Holiday Pay.
Vacation and Scheduling Days Off
Carolinas HealthCare System provides full-time and part-time teammates (following the completion of the 90 day orientation period) time off with pay for personal reasons, vacation, holidays and to provide income in the event of injury or illness. For more information consult HR 3.05 – Paid Time Off Benefit.
Alternative Work Schedules
Recognizing the needs of the various departments throughout Carolinas HealthCare System, we strive to also support team members’ efforts to balance their work and personal lives. In some departments, alternative work arrangements may be compatible with achieving our business objectives, and leaders may consider implementing alternative work arrangements whenever they can effectively meet both business and teammate needs.
This may include flexible work schedules, job sharing, compressed work week, work from home or other types of part-time or temporary employment. If you are interested in
alternative work arrangements, please discuss them with your leader.
care of personal needs, nurturing the body and refreshing the mind. Carolinas HealthCare System is committed to following all legal requirements surrounding breaks and meal periods for non-exempt (hourly) team members.
If an hourly team member is interrupted during the meal period by work-related duties, calls or pages, another meal period will be given or the time will be paid. Teammates whose snack and meal breaks are interrupted are to report these instances to their leader so it can be adjusted.
Efforts are made by leaders to give a 15-minute paid break to teammates for each four (4) hours of work, as workload and scheduling permit. A break of 15 minutes or less is
considered paid time and cannot be used to extend lunch periods or to allow teammates to arrive late or leave early. Tobacco use on breaks is not permitted regardless of location of break. See HR 2.05 Break and Meal Periods.
Carolinas HealthCare System supports team members who are nursing mothers during the first year of their infant’s life by providing reasonable break periods during the workday to express breast milk. These teammates will work with their leaders to
arrange a private location and work to coordinate times convenient for the department, as well as a frequency and duration needed by the teammate. Break times that are used for milk expression, beyond the normal break time or meal period, are considered unpaid time and the teammate must be relieved of all job tasks.
Security
The goal of the Carolinas HealthCare System Security Department is to provide a safe and secure environment for Carolinas HealthCare System. Carolinas HealthCare System provides security officers for the protection of teammates, patients and visitors. Our professional personnel are trained to assist in emergencies such as fires, natural disasters and bomb threats. The Security Department operates around the clock, 365 days a year, providing on-site support at designated facilities and indirect support at other Carolinas HealthCare System facilities.
Everyone at Carolinas HealthCare System facilities is responsible for security. Every teammate should observe the following basic security measures:
Be aware of your surroundings. Your personal safety and the safety of the properties of Carolinas HealthCare System are influenced more by your awareness than any other single factor.
All team members are required to wear an identification badge, displayed above the waist, while on Carolinas HealthCare System property.
Immediately call the Carolinas HealthCare System Security Operations Center whenever there are security related concerns. For security assistance at any Carolinas HealthCare System facility, teammates should call 704-355-3333, 24
Keep personal and hospital items in a locked place whenever possible.
Do not bring more than you need to work. An abundance of anything invites theft. Report all incidents. Your information can help detect patterns of security
problems. Remember, “See Something, Say Something.”
Help our patients and visitors. They are in a strange environment and are vulnerable. If visitors have difficulties, feel free to call Security for assistance. All visitors are encouraged to obtain a visitor's badge. Visitors in security sensitive areas will be required to have a badge.
All teammates, as a condition of employment, agree to permit security officers to inspect any packages or bags taken into and away from Carolinas HealthCare System facilities and to inspect teammate lockers and work areas.
All instances of theft, suspicious activity or serious misconduct on the part of any person in or around your facility should be reported immediately to the Security Department at 704- 355-3333.
